And of course the Courier Journal (http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20101107/COLUMNISTS12/311070050/1016/)buries the lede again:

So, with little more than two weeks to go, Conway was clearly behind. To win, he needed a game-changer to make the election a referendum on the unusual Paul, not on the unpopular Obama, whom Republicans had wrapped around his neck.

Conway said his consultants produced a “greatest hits” ad with six to 10 of Paul's most controversial statements, but didn't run it because it made so many points they thought it wouldn't cut through the clutter of ads on TV. He said the material on Paul's anti-religious activity in college polled better than anything else, “and when we gamed it out with his likely response, we still came out ahead.”

He said the ad's script was tested with polling, but the ad itself was not shown to a small, representative “focus group” of voters — or to his part-time campaign chairperson, state Auditor Crit Luallen. He said she was not on the final conference call when the decision was made, but he described the ad to her.

“He told me he was very uncomfortable with it,” Luallen said. “My advice was to rely on his own personal instinct….. If he was uncomfortable, that should be a significant factor.”

On the conference call that followed, Conway said his consultants told him, “If you want to win this race you have to run the ad.” He summed up his decision for me this way: “When everyone around you tells you to pull the trigger, you go ahead and do it.”

But “everyone” did not include Luallen or anyone else with her level of experience in Kentucky politics, and Conway clearly needed that. He may have “an incredible intellect,” as Luallen says, but when it comes to the gut instinct that is so important in politics, he either lacks a full measure of it, full confidence in it, or both.

Conway reiterated that he has no regrets about the decision, despite the collective wisdom that it, and Paul's skillful responses, effectively ended the race. Paul's final response ad ran until Election Day, indicating that his polls showed knew the controversy was cutting his way.

Conway did say he was surprised by the criticism from “many of the more liberal types,” some of whom appeared in that last response ad. “It was a risky move for a Democrat to throw a right hook,” he said.

But there was more at risk than the outcome of one election, such as the fate of other Democratic candidates and Conway's political future. One poll showed he ended the race with a majority of voters viewing him negatively, which could attract significant opposition as he seeks re-election as attorney general next year. Did Conway wonder, as he pondered the decision, if it would hurt him in future races?

“Maybe a little bit,” he said. “It's one of those things, you're just so focused on winning the race.” And so were his consultants, who relied too heavily on polls and not enough on real people. And he relied too heavily on the consultants.

Dripping Rain

11-07-2010, 06:23 PM

Conway reiterated that he has no regrets about the decision, despite the collective wisdom that it, and Paul's skillful responses, effectively ended the race. Paul's final response ad ran until Election Day, indicating that his polls showed knew the controversy was cutting his way.

im soo pissed i honestly have no words to describe it. yes by "it" I mean Conway. I fail to see any human aspect of to it. It feels no shame and no remorse even for attacking someones religious faith and trying to portray a Christian as an atheist to win the election. I hope the Feds bust his drug dealing justice obstructing lying ass Mr Drugs are the most pressin issue of the day

Conway reiterated that he has no regrets about the decision, despite the collective wisdom that it, and Paul's skillful responses, effectively ended the race. Paul's final response ad ran until Election Day, indicating that his polls showed knew the controversy was cutting his way.

That is completely false!

In the closing days (4 to 5 days), the Kelley Paul ad ran, and an ad combating the MediSCARE tactics - that was never on the internet.

specsaregood

11-07-2010, 06:36 PM

Sounds to me like Conway and Luallen are trying to pass the buck onto unnamed "consultants" and try to salvage their futures in politics.

Libertea Party

11-07-2010, 06:38 PM

Sounds to me like Conway and Luallen are trying to pass the buck onto unnamed "consultants" and try to salvage their futures in politics.

Me too.

RonPaulFanInGA

11-07-2010, 06:41 PM

Never thought I'd say this during the primary, but I hope Grayson runs and wins. He has a lot of democratic cross-over appeal supposedly.

The question for me is whether I dislike Conway more than I want to avoid a future primary challenge from someone like Grayson. Who knows, if he can't get to the Senate any other way maybe he'll pull a Crist/Specter and bolt the party.

low preference guy

11-07-2010, 07:05 PM

Never thought I'd say this during the primary, but I hope Grayson runs and wins. He has a lot of democratic cross-over appeal supposedly.

conway is worse than grayson, but i wouldn't mind trey not being elected to anything ever again.

DeadheadForPaul

11-07-2010, 08:01 PM

Conway just admitted that he is literally willing to do anything just to get elected - even things HE considers immoral and dirty.

As you guys mentioned, they are definitely trying to pass the buck and give the blame to unnamed, anonymous beltway consultants

I'm not sure if I fear Grayson more or Conway more.

When Rand goes for re-election, I think it is HIGHLY likely that there will be a challenger in the primary. I really don't fear Grayson's debate skills b/c he is unable to compete with Rand. His positions are not based on an ideological or philosophical view, but rather, simply based on the way the wind is blowing

The only problem Grayson poses is his establishment connections. Even though many major national GOP figures went against Rand, there was SOME support from the KY GOP establishment. I'm sure a KY resident could weigh in better on whether Grayson and the KY GOP establishment could completely turn on Rand

Conway is definitely a threat to Rand in an anti-Republican year. If things are pro-Dem in 2016, Rand will probably struggle against Conman

Inflation

11-07-2010, 08:30 PM

“When everyone around you tells you to pull the trigger, you go ahead and do it.”

What a spineless jellyfish. So much for OxyConway's "tough SOB" act.

thomas-in-ky

11-07-2010, 10:09 PM

The only problem Grayson poses is his establishment connections. Even though many major national GOP figures went against Rand, there was SOME support from the KY GOP establishment. I'm sure a KY resident could weigh in better on whether Grayson and the KY GOP establishment could completely turn on Rand

We've already been there... 99.99% of the establishment was for Grayson in the primary (and vehemently against Rand), and Rand still won in a Randslide. IMHO, "establishment influence" was marginalized in the process. Most of them got back up, dusted themselves off, and backed Rand in the general. No way Grayson will primary Rand again. No one would fund that...not the establishment and certainly not the grass roots.

itshappening

11-07-2010, 11:17 PM

Rand won't have a serious primary challenge in Kentucky, the establishment types are very loyal and won't challenge an incumbent senator

Matt Collins

11-08-2010, 01:02 AM

Rand won't have a serious primary challenge in Kentucky, the establishment types are very loyal and won't challenge an incumbent senatorEspecially when they realize that Rand is not dependent upon their machine to win. And when they put their machine up against Rand, they lost once, they'll probably lose again. The party has no choice but to accept Rand's conservatism / constitutionalism.

MaxPower

11-08-2010, 01:03 AM

A Conway-Grayson race would be a weird sort of novel sideshow for me- "Battle of the Rand Paul Victims." I wouldn't really be able to take anyone's "side," but I would watch with bemusement from afar.

Matt Collins

11-08-2010, 01:08 AM

Never thought I'd say this during the primary, but I hope Grayson runs and wins. He has a lot of democratic cross-over appeal supposedly.
You have a long-term memory problem :rolleyes:

Trey's antics during the primary were just as despicable as Conway's. The difference is that we tend to know where Conway stands on the issues, Trey I don't think has any strong ideological basis. You might as well be rooting for Mitt Romney :(

teacherone

11-08-2010, 06:51 AM

He summed up his decision for me this way: “When everyone around you tells you to pull the trigger, you go ahead and do it.”

thank you rand for defeating this puppet! imagine what this hollow shell of a man would have done for the masters in washington.

low preference guy

11-08-2010, 12:18 PM

“When everyone around you tells you to pull the trigger, you go ahead and do it.”

If I were Jack's opponent in a future election, I would run ads just to remind people of this statement by Jack. Any sane person will vote against him just because of that.